**Nato Chief Warns of Future Conflict with Russia**
The head of Nato, Mark Rutte, has said that the military alliance is not prepared for a future conflict with Russia. He warned that Moscow is “preparing for long-term confrontation” with the West and described the current security situation as “the worst” in his lifetime.
Rutte, who recently became secretary-general of Nato, said that the alliance’s members were not ready for what was coming their way in four to five years. He urged them to “turbocharge” their defence spending and warned that Russia’s economy is already on a war footing.
**Defence Spending Must Increase**
Rutte said that European members had spent upwards of 3% of GDP on defence during the Cold War, but current spending is much lower. He warned that if Nato members do not spend more together now to prevent war, they will pay a higher price later to fight it.
The average defence spend for Nato members in Europe and Canada is estimated at 2%, but not all meet this target. Rutte said that ramping up defence production was a “top priority” and that the defence industry in Europe is “too small, too fragmented and too slow”.
**Russia and China Are “Racing Ahead”**
Rutte warned that Russia and China are racing ahead of Nato members when it comes to defence spending and production. He said that Russian arms factories are churning out war equipment around the clock.
“What is happening in Ukraine could happen here, too,” Rutte warned, referring to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. “We are not at war. But we are certainly not at peace, either.”
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